SEC Expansion Rumors Heating Up Once More

During the dog days of summer 2010, expansion was the main event fueling the sports world. A quick recap of the summer expansion was Nebraska and Colorado leaving the Big 12 to the Big 10 and Pac-10 respectively. This was later followed by Utah joining the Pac-10 and Boise State leaving WAC.

Since then, there has been little information on expansion until now which just happens to involve the SEC. During the summer, there were rumors that Texas A&M and Oklahoma were going to leave Texas and the Big 12 to join the SEC. Texas was not too happy since they were wanting to join the Pac-10 with a few other Big 12 teams. However, nothing happened, and it seemed the dust had settled.

It all started about a week ago when Texas and ESPN reached a $300 million deal to create its own network. This delighted all the Longhorns but ticked off the Sooners and Aggies...The new UT network, however, has caused the talk to surface once again, with the Aggies apparently none too pleased with a development that stuffs even more money into their in-state rival’s already bloated coffers.

“I certainly think it’s going to create some reaction from some Aggies who will say, ‘(The hell with) Texas. Let’s do our own deal,’” a prominent, unnamed Aggie told Bohls. “I don’t think Texas is winning friends and influencing people among their Big 12 brethren. As for the SEC, it may be a lot of noise, but I don’t sense a lot of groundswell from the president or athletic director’s office.”

Bohls went on to suggest that A&M and Oklahoma, which is exploring the creation of its own TV network, could “unite at some point to shift to the SEC, which would swipe them up in a second.” The Sooners had been mentioned back in Juneas potentially having an interest in making their way to the SEC.